John Swinney's 'sob story' statement as he rates chances of a deal on whisky tariffs with Donald Trump

The first minister said he had a "substantive" discussion with the US president for 50 minutes at the Oval Office on Tuesday.

"He makes no secret of the fact that he likes deals,” Mr Swinney told journalists. “I wasn't going there with a sob story. I was going there offering a deal, saying this is in everyone's interests.”

He said the ball was now firmly in the UK government's court to get an agreement over the line as part of a wider trade deal.

Speaking at a press conference at Bute House on Wednesday, his official residence in Edinburgh, the first minister said whisky was previously not being given "much of a priority" by UK ministers, something which is strongly denied.

The US is Scotland’s largest export market by value for whisky, worth £971 million in 2024. But the 10 per cent tariff is costing the industry £4m a week in lost exports, according to the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA).

With Mr Trump due to arrive in the UK for a state visit next week, the first minister said the coming days would be “critical” as politicians on both sides of the Atlantic seek to finalise a trade deal.

Mr Swinney said: "There's a win-win situation to be obtained here. It's not just a one-way street for Scotland, it's got benefits for the United States too. That's why I think it's a really attractive proposition, and I think in the light of that, I think there is every possibility a deal can be made."

The first minister said he had provided a "platform" for the UK government to secure a deal on whisky.

He said: "I've done some pretty heavy lifting to get us to this point, and I want those responsible for concluding this deal to do it and to conclude it positively on Scotland's behalf."

Asked about the details of his meeting with Mr Trump, Mr Swinney said: "If I can say to you - I was supposed to be in the Oval Office for 30 minutes; I was in for 50. That perhaps gives you an illustration that we were having a very engaged, substantive discussion about this. He was asking me lots of questions about the proposition. He was very familiar with the issue I was raising about the impact on jobs in the United States - very interested in that particular point."

Mr Swinney previously raised the issue of whisky tariffs when he met the president in Scotland in July. The pair seemed to forge a good relationship, with Mr Trump later describing Mr Swinney as a “terrific guy”.

During his brief visit to the US, the first minister also met with representatives from the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States as part of efforts to push for a better deal, with one option being a zero-for-zero tariffs on spirits.

Scotland’s external affairs secretary Angus Robertson has previously highlighted how the connections between Scotch whisky and bourbon mean such an arrangement could benefit both sectors.

A UK Government spokesperson said: “There is huge appetite for our whisky in the US and around the world, and our trade strategy will help Scottish firms sell even more products in new markets as part of the plan for change.

“We continue to work with the US to get this landmark deal implemented as soon as possible.”